Native Mode

[Sam Ramsey]

I currently have one domain with 8 Windows 2000 servers
and 1 Windows NT 4.0 Server. I also have Exchange 2000 in
this domain.

My question is, is it okay to change from mixed mode to
native mode with a NT 4.0 server part of the domain? The
NT 4.0 is not a BDC. Also do have to switch the Exchange
server to Native mode? I also assume it is okay to have 98
and NT 4.0 client computers on the domain when in native
mode?

 

[Mike Brannigan [MSFT]]

I currently have one domain with 8 Windows 2000 servers
and 1 Windows NT 4.0 Server. I also have Exchange 2000 in
this domain.

My question is, is it okay to change from mixed mode to
native mode with a NT 4.0 server part of the domain? The
NT 4.0 is not a BDC. Also do have to switch the Exchange
server to Native mode? I also assume it is okay to have 98
and NT 4.0 client computers on the domain when in native
mode?

Windows Active Directory Native Mode only refers to the ability to support
Backup Domain Controllers that are not Windows 2000 or later.
So you will not have any problems with an Windows NT 4.0 member in Native
Mode.
It also does not effect client support.

I am not an Exchange person so cannot comment on the Exchange issues.

--
Regards,

Mike
--
Mike Brannigan [Microsoft]

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights

Please note I cannot respond to e-mailed questions, please use these
newsgroups

 

[Sam Ramsey]

Mike, thanks for the response.

One more question. Is it best pratice to leave one DC
offline in case I want to roll back to mixed-mode?

 

[Guest]

I thought I was using the newsgroups.

-----Original Message-----
Mike, thanks for the response.

One more question. Is it best pratice to leave one DC
offline in case I want to roll back to mixed-mode?
have have
.

 

[Guest]

As far as I know, you cannot have any nt 4.0 dc's in native mode. Native mode refers to the fact that all of your dc's are Windows 2000 or Windows 2003 if you are running any dc's with that OS. Mixed-mode indicates that you are either running some Windows 2003 dc's with Windows 2000 or NT dc's ... or that you are running Windows 2000 dc's with NT dc's. Once you go native mode you unleash the full power of the 2000 or 2003 OS ... so if you do not need the NT dc disconnect it from the network and go full native mode which allows group nesting, universal groups and alot of other features.

On the issue of the nt dc, i would keep it around until you are sure you do not need it but remember once you go native mode you cannot reset the 2000 dc's to mixed-mode without reinstalling AD and losing all of your AD data (am not sure about losing the AD data but I know you cannot revert to mixed-mode from native mode without reinstalling AD services)

 

[Enkidu]

Windows Active Directory Native Mode only refers to the ability to support
Backup Domain Controllers that are not Windows 2000 or later.
So you will not have any problems with an Windows NT 4.0 member in Native
Mode.
It also does not effect client support.

I am not an Exchange person so cannot comment on the Exchange issues.

I've done a little with Exchange. Exchange and Windows 2000 native
modes are not dependent on one another, from memory. Either can be
moved to native mode without affecting the other.

Cheers,

Cliff

 

[Cary Shultz [A.D. MVP]]

Cliff,

You are absolutely correct. Typically, the 'mode' of the WIN2000 domain
does not have any affect on the 'mode' of the Exchange 2000 organisation.

Cary